Americans United - Ken Cuccinellihttp://www.au.org/tags/ken-cuccinelli
enA Little List: The Top Ten Church-State Stories Of 2013 http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/a-little-list-the-top-ten-church-state-stories-of-2013
<a href="/about/people/rob-boston">Rob Boston</a><div class="field field-name-field-blog-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blogs/wall-of-separation">Wall of Separation</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-callout field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Here are some prominent church-state developments of 2013. </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="prose"><p>It’s that time of year when people are compiling lists. So let’s look at the Top Ten Church-State Stories of 2013.</p><p><strong>1. Greece, N.Y., prayer case argued before U.S. Supreme Court: </strong>An Americans United-sponsored lawsuit challenging legislative prayer in the city of Greece, N.Y., <a href="https://www.au.org/church-state/december-2013-church-state/featured/showdown-at-the-supreme-court">reached the Supreme Court.</a></p><p>The suit, <em>Town of Greece v. Galloway</em>, challenges the use of almost-exclusively Christian prayers before meetings of the Greece Town Board. AU’s plaintiffs, Susan Galloway and Linda Stephens, who are Jewish and atheist respectively, said the practice makes them feel like second-class citizens.</p><p>A decision in the case could have far-reaching consequences for the separation of church and state. The case was argued in December, and a ruling is expected by the end of June.</p><p><strong>2. The Supreme Court rules on same-sex marriage: </strong>In June, the Supreme Court ruled on two cases concerning same-sex marriage. The decisions in <em>U.S. v. Windsor</em> and <em>Hollingsworth v. Perry</em> had the effect of advancing the legality of same-sex marriage and led some observers to conclude that it’s only a matter of time before the practice is legal nationwide. Indeed, in the wake of those rulings, several lower courts have issued decisions favorable to same-sex marriage in other contexts, most recently in Utah.</p><p>Religious Right groups and the Roman Catholic bishops <a href="https://www.au.org/church-state/september-2013-church-state/featured/wedding-crashers">reacted with anger and dismay</a> to the rulings and vowed to oppose them.</p><p><strong>3. Contraceptive lawsuits advance in the courts: </strong>Opponents of the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive mandate filed a slew of lawsuits, asserting that the provision violates their religious liberty rights. Federal courts handed down conflicting rulings on the matter, and the Supreme Court <a href="https://www.au.org/media/press-releases/americans-united-urges-us-supreme-court-to-protect-workers-access-to-birth">has announced</a> that it will hear two cases brought by the owners of secular corporations who oppose the mandate. In the meantime, courts are beginning to issue rulings in cases brought by religiously affiliated organizations such as religiously affiliated colleges.</p><p>The spate of legal cases astounded some advocates of church-state separation and women’s rights, who assumed that access to contraceptives was a long-settled issue in the United States.</p><p><strong>4. Religious Right-backed candidates lose in Virginia:</strong> A slate of candidates backed by the Religious Right <a href="https://www.au.org/church-state/december-2013-church-state/au-bulletin/religious-right-candidates-lose-va-elections">was defeated</a> in Virginia’s statewide elections in November. Ken Cuccinelli, a Republican closely aligned with the Religious Right, lost the governor’s race to Democrat Terry McAuliffe.</p><p>The GOP’s lieutenant governor candidate, E.W. Jackson, was also defeated. Jackson, a former staff member for TV preacher Pat Robertson’s Christian Coalition, lost to Democrat Ralph Northam by 10 points. Jackson, who often appears at Religious Right meetings, made several controversial statements during the campaign. He asserted that non-Christians “are engaged in some sort of false religion,” and he was criticized for earlier comments calling gay people “sick” and accusing President Barack Obama of “Muslim sympathies.”</p><p>In the attorney general’s race, Democrat Mark R. Herring defeated conservative Mark D. Obenshain in a tight race that was not settled until absentee ballots were counted.</p><p><strong>5. Anti-evolution efforts fail in Texas and other states. </strong>Attempts by creationists to water down the teaching of evolution in public school science classes failed in Texas, and anti-evolution bills collapsed in several other states.</p><p>In Texas, several members of the State Board of Education criticized proposed new science books because they did not promote creationism. The effort failed when textbook publishers <a href="https://www.au.org/church-state/december-2013-church-state/people-events/book-publishers-refuse-to-create-creationist">refused to create special books</a> for Texas that downplayed evolution. The board subsequently voted to adopt textbooks that discuss evolution in depth.</p><p>Creationism fared poorly in several others states as well. The National Center for Science Education reported that <a href="https://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/creationism-corralled-eight-states-reject-creationist-measures">anti-evolution bills floundered</a> in seven other states – Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma and Virginia.</p><p><strong>6. Church politicking issue reemerges: </strong>The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) in August issued a report calling on the Internal Revenue Service to lift the ban on pulpit-based partisan politicking.</p><p>An ECFA commission <a href="https://www.au.org/church-state/october-2013-church-state/featured/pulpit-politicking-pushed">prepared a report</a> for U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) asserting that the current law, which prohibits all 501(c)(3) non-profits from intervening in political races between individuals, is “vague”; the groups went on to assert that the law “chills permissible speech” and “causes confusion” among non-profits.</p><p>It’s unclear what impact the report will have, but late in the year the IRS hinted that some movement on the issue may occur. The tax agency issued a document listing its goals for the fiscal year 2013-14. Among them was a line item indicating that the IRS hopes to finalize new internal procedures for conducting audits of houses of worship, a necessary first step before a church can be investigated for politicking.</p><p><strong>7. U.S. Senate votes to reject vouchers: </strong>An effort by voucher supporters to create a nationwide plan failed in the Senate in March. During a lengthy session over budget issues on March 22, U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) put forth an amendment that would have allowed 11 million low-income students to receive $1,300 each to put toward tuition at religious and other private schools.</p><p>Americans United and its allies <a href="https://www.au.org/church-state/may-2013-church-state/featured/school-voucher-victory">mobilized quickly</a> to oppose the measure, and it was handily defeated by a vote of 60-39. However, voucher plans continued to advance in some states, notably North Carolina.</p><p><strong>8. Hurricane relief sparks church-state battle:</strong> In the wake of the devastating Hurricane Sandy, which struck several East Coast states in late October of 2012, some religious leaders began demanding taxpayer funds to rebuild damaged houses of worship.</p><p>The issue<a href="https://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/fema-fight-resumes-senate-ponders-taxpayer-aid-for-damaged-houses-of"> flared up</a> in the House of Representatives and Senate in 2013, with Americans United and its allies arguing that repairing and rebuilding houses of worship is a job best done with private funds, not government money. AU noted that diverting taxpayer aid for purely religious purposes would raise constitutional issues; the group also pointed out that historically, tax aid has been extended only to entities that serve a public purpose, such as libraries, schools and community centers.</p><p>No church-relief bills have passed in Congress, but AU continues to monitor the situation.</p><p><strong>9. North Carolina bill proposes official state religion:</strong> In one of the most bizarre church-state stories of the year, a North Carolina legislator introduced legislation that would have allowed local governments in the state to <a href="https://www.au.org/church-state/may-2013-church-state/au-bulletin/nc-state-religion-bill-dies-after-national-furor">declare official religions</a>.</p><p>The resolution, which was cosponsored by nine state lawmakers, asserted that “each state is sovereign and may independently determine how the state may make laws respecting an establishment of religion.” It also declared that “the North Carolina General Assembly does not recognize federal court rulings which prohibit and otherwise regulate the State of North Carolina, its public schools, or any political subdivisions of the State from making laws respecting an establishment of religion.”</p><p>House Speaker Thom Tillis (R-Charlotte), had the measure pulled after it received a torrent of national and international ridicule.</p><p><strong>10. Mt. Soledad cross must be removed, court rules: </strong>In the latest twist of a long-running church-state case, a federal court ruled that a towering cross on public land in San Diego <a href="https://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/cross-over-court-rules-calif-sectarian-symbol-on-government-land-must-come">must come down</a>. The Mt. Soledad cross has been the subject of litigation for more than 20 years. Although its supporters claim that the cross is a war memorial, opponents note that the cross was never described as a memorial to veterans until recent times. They also assert that a sectarian symbol like a cross cannot memorialize all war dead.</p><p>Cross defenders are appealing the decision in <em>Jewish War Veterans of the USA v. Hagel</em>.</p><p>Happy New Year!</p></div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Issues:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/issues/creationism-evolution">Creationism &amp; Evolution</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/issues/vouchers">Vouchers</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/issues/prayer-at-government-events-and-legislative-meetings">Prayer at Government Events and Legislative Meetings</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/issues/government-sponsored-religious-displays">Government-Sponsored Religious Displays</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/issues/religious-groups-involvement-in-candidate-elections">Religious Groups’ Involvement in Candidate Elections</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/issues/marriage">Marriage</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/issues/reproductive-health-conscience-clauses-for-religious-objectors">Reproductive Health &amp; Conscience Clauses for Religious Objectors</a></span></div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/vouchers">vouchers</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/same-sex-marriage">same-sex marriage</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/greece">Greece</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/new-york">New York</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/mt-soledad-cross">Mt. Soledad cross</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/birth-control">birth control</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/affordable-care-act">Affordable Care Act</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/evolution">evolution</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/texas">Texas</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/virginia">virginia</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/ew-jackson-0">E.W. Jackson</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/ken-cuccinelli">Ken Cuccinelli</a></span></div></div>Tue, 31 Dec 2013 14:43:52 +0000Rob Boston9378 at http://www.au.orghttp://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/a-little-list-the-top-ten-church-state-stories-of-2013#commentsBallot Box Blowup: Religious Right Suffers Yet Another Election Day Nightmare http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/ballot-box-blowup-religious-right-suffers-yet-another-election-day
<a href="/about/people/simon-brown">Simon Brown</a><div class="field field-name-field-blog-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blogs/wall-of-separation">Wall of Separation</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-callout field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Amazingly, Ken Cuccinelli wasn’t the most extreme candidate in Virginia this year.</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="prose"><p>You could say the Religious Right has hit a bit of a rough patch lately.</p><p>Last year, President Barack Obama was easily reelected. About seven months later, the U.S. Supreme Court issued two rulings favorable to same-sex marriage. Then this week the Religious Right was force-fed another bitter pill by voters as fundamentalist candidates for public offices suffered defeats in both Virginia and Ohio.</p><p>In Virginia, GOP gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/11/how-ken-cuccinelli-blew-it/281156/">narrowly lost</a> to Democratic Party nominee Terry McAuliffe.</p><p>Cuccinelli, a staunch Roman Catholic and favorite of the Religious Right, was serving out the end of his term as Virginia’s attorney general. In that position, he basically tried to add a theocratic gloss to the Old Dominion’s laws.</p><p>While serving previously as a member of the Virginia Senate, <a href="http://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/50871/ken-cuccinelli-ii#.Unu97z-b3Aw http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/06/ken-cuccinelli-sodomy_n_4226708.html">he voted</a> to outlaw abortion in all cases and was in favor of a “personhood” bill that would have granted full legal rights to fertilized eggs. He also sought to defund Planned Parenthood.</p><p>Cuccinelli’s views on family relations were also far to the right. He objected to same-sex marriage and once voted to make it illegal for married couples with children to obtain a no-fault divorce if one spouse objected. As attorney general he even kept up a fight to restore a Virginia law that made acts of consensual sodomy a felony, despite a U.S. Supreme Court decision declaring such laws unconstitutional.</p><p>Amazingly, Cuccinelli wasn’t the most extreme candidate in Virginia this year.</p><p>E.W. Jackson, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, is a Baptist minister who was not shy about his fundamentalist agenda. He once said he wants to “deliver” gay people from sin and that non-Christians practice a “<a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/09/23/1240838/-Republican-candidate-E-W-Jackson-says-non-Christians-are-engaged-in-false-religion#">false religion</a>.”</p><p>He also claimed the Tea Party “is a move of God to stir this nation’s [sic] back to its conscience and back to its senses.”</p><p>And perhaps most disturbing of all, Jackson said in a book he authored that <a href="http://www.dailypress.com/news/politics/shad-plank-blog/dp-newport-news-mother-rips-jackson-for-comments-on-children-born-with-disabilities-20131007,0,7035537.post">disabled children are a punishment from God</a>.</p><p>“It is the principle of sin, rebellion against God and His truth which has brought about birth defects and other destructive natural occurrences,” he asserted.</p><p>Jackson, a former staff member with TV preacher Pat Robertson’s Christian Coalition, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/05/va-election-results_n_4175548.html">was defeated easily in a 10-point blowout</a>. But even in his <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/liveblog-live/liveblog/live-updates-election-day-2013/?id=7db23966-0473-4e6e-a7f5-169767f9a7dc">concession speech</a>, he kept up his fiery rhetoric and referenced the supposed “Judeo-Christian” roots of the United States.</p><p> “I am the only one standing up for our freedom, the only one standing up for our constitution, the only one standing up for our flag and what it represents, the only one standing up for the Judeo-Christian values on which this country was built,” he said.</p><p>Over in Ohio, <a href="http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/springboro-school-levy-passes/nbjM5/">the Tea Party took a serious beating</a> in a local school board election. Small-town politics wouldn’t normally get too much attention on the national stage, but Springboro is different. <a href="https://au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/what-s-the-matter-with-springboro-ohio-city-grapples-with-religious-right">Its board created quite a bit of trouble earlier this year</a> by proposing creationism in science classes and backing far-right classes on the Constitution.</p><p>Thankfully a group of concerned residents mobilized and challenged the fundamentalists on the board. They derailed its plans to undermine sound science education and put the Constitution classes on hold. They kept up the fight long enough to make sure that no extreme changes came to pass, and the electorate took care of the rest.</p><p>All three open seats on the board were taken by moderate candidates who each got 25-28 percent of the vote. The three Tea Party backers, on the other hand, received about 10 percent each.</p><p>Unfortunately Election Day wasn’t completely rosy for defenders of church-state separation. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), an advocate for school vouchers and other “school choice” schemes, cruised to another term. We expect he’ll continue to push his bad education policies, regardless of the constitutional concerns they raise.</p><p>All-in-all, we’re glad to see more defeats for the Religious Right. We know these politicized fundamentalists aren’t simply going to give up after a few losses, but the best way to keep them at bay is to educate people about their schemes.</p></div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Issues:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/issues/descriptions-and-activities-religious-right-groups">Descriptions and Activities of Religious Right Groups</a></span></div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/ken-cuccinelli">Ken Cuccinelli</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/ew-jackson">EW Jackson</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/gov-chris-christie">Gov. Chris Christie</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/2013-virginia-election">2013 Virginia election</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/2013-ohio-election">2013 Ohio election</a></span></div></div>Thu, 07 Nov 2013 18:04:26 +0000Simon Brown9135 at http://www.au.orghttp://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/ballot-box-blowup-religious-right-suffers-yet-another-election-day#commentsPolluting The Pulpit?: Virginia Attorney General Urges (Right-Wing) Churches To Be Political http://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/polluting-the-pulpit-virginia-attorney-general-urges-right-wing-churches-to
<a href="/about/people/rob-boston">Rob Boston</a><div class="field field-name-field-blog-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blogs/wall-of-separation">Wall of Separation</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-callout field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Since when is it an attorney general’s job to urge churches to dive into politics?</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="prose"><p>Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has been a thorn in Americans United’s side for the past few years. A staunch ally of the Religious Right, Cuccinelli seems to have no problem using government to promote right-wing theology.</p>
<p>His 2010 memo on government-sponsored holiday displays was less than helpful. Americans United had to issue <a href="http://www.au.org/media/press-releases/archives/2010/08/va-attorney-generals.html">a statement </a>warning that towns that took his advice without additional legal counsel might get sued.</p>
<p>Yesterday, <a href="http://www.wtvr.com/news/wtvr-cuccinelli-attorney-general-pastors-politics-church-state,0,4874127.story">Cuccinelli appeared</a> at a Virginia Christian Alliance (VCA) breakfast in Fredericksburg to brief pastors on the law relating to political activity. He correctly reminded his audience that churches can’t endorse candidates, for example, and he distributed a handout reprinting some information made available by the Internal Revenue Service.</p>
<p>But Cuccinelli also blithely told the pastors that their churches can distribute voter guides – without warning them that most guides are produced by partisan operations intended to steer congregants toward certain candidates. Handing out biased guides is a clear violation of federal tax law.</p>
<p>Regardless of the specifics of his remarks, however, I had to wonder what Cuccinelli was doing there in the first place. Turns out he wanted to help the VCA, a hardball Religious Right outfit, prod churches to get more involved in political issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage.</p>
<p>"You have a lot of freedom of action, and I would encourage you to use it," Cuccinelli said.</p>
<p>Since when is it the attorney general’s job to urge churches to dive into politics?</p>
<p>Not all churches want to be political. Pastors are aware that plenty of people go to religious services to hear talk about God, not electioneering. Congregants want to listen to a sermon, not a political rant.</p>
<p>Polls show that many <a href="http://pewforum.org/Politics-and-Elections/More-Americans-Question-Religions-Role-in-Politics.aspx">people are tired</a> of all of the political talk emanating from some pulpits. Americans are sharply divided over politics. The rise of the internet and social media have only given more outlets for a cacophony that now seems to run 24/7.</p>
<p>Many parishioners think a house of worship ought to be one place to get a respite from that, a place where Americans of different political persuasions can put aside the rancor and join together in a common purpose. For religious people, that purpose transcends the din of everyday political argument.</p>
<p>Yet Cuccinelli and his VCA allies would politicize our churches, turning them into just another front for the Religious Right’s misguided “culture war.” His clear message to pastors is that if you’re not talking about political issues in church, something is wrong and you’re not doing your job. (And, of course, the politics he wants them to espouse is his own. I doubt Cuccinelli would have appeared before an assembly of Unitarians, progressive Jews or liberal Protestants and delivered this speech.)</p>
<p>It’s arrogant. It’s misguided. It’s not what Americans want.</p>
<p>Americans United Executive Director Barry W. Lynn told a Richmond TV station, “It is disturbing that the attorney general, even in the process of giving relatively good legal advice, manages to try to convince ministers they ought to be more religious or they ought to be fighting a different enemy. It’s really not appropriate for an elected official to start coaching people in the clergy about what they should or shouldn’t do in the middle of a church service.”</p>
<p>Here at Americans United, it gets our hackles up when religious groups demand that government enforce their particular theological notions.</p>
<p>But the concept cuts both ways. Government telling religion what to do isn’t so great either. Cuccinelli ought to stick to overseeing the laws of Virginia and let pastors decide for themselves how best to manage their pulpits.</p>
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<p><a href="http://www.wtvr.com/news/wtvr-cuccinelli-attorney-general-pastors-politics-church-state,0,4874127.story"><br /></a></p>
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</div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Issues:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/issues/churches-and-politics">Churches and Politics</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/issues/religious-groups-involvement-in-candidate-elections">Religious Groups’ Involvement in Candidate Elections</a></span></div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/churches-and-politics">Churches and Politics</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/ken-cuccinelli">Ken Cuccinelli</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/virginia">virginia</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/virginia-christian-alliance">Virginia Christian Alliance</a></span></div></div>Fri, 17 Jun 2011 15:52:19 +0000Rob Boston2202 at http://www.au.orghttp://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/polluting-the-pulpit-virginia-attorney-general-urges-right-wing-churches-to#commentsVirginia Reels: Religious Right Gov. Dances To Pat Robertson’s Tunehttp://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/virginia-reels-religious-right-gov-dances-to-pat-robertson%E2%80%99s-tune
<a href="/about/people/rob-boston">Rob Boston</a><div class="field field-name-field-blog-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blogs/wall-of-separation">Wall of Separation</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-callout field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">The prayer directive is merely the latest in a series of embarrassing stunts from Virginia’s new leaders. </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="prose"><p><strong> </strong></p>
<p>More than 200 years ago, Virginia was the most powerful state in the fledgling United States of America, spawning visionary leaders like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.</p>
<p>How times have changed in the Old Dominion.</p>
<p>Instead of leaders such as Jefferson and Madison, who fought state-established religion and labored to bring full religious liberty to all, Virginia’s government today is saddled with a collection of ideologues who kowtow to the Religious Right and constantly seek to fan the flames of the “culture war.”</p>
<p>The latest assault on the Constitution comes from Gov. Robert McDonnell, who has <a href="http://hamptonroads.com/2010/04/mcdonnell-rescinds-state-police-prayer-policy-referring-jesus">rescinded a directive</a> stating that State Police chaplains must use non-sectarian prayers at public events.</p>
<p>W. Steven Flaherty, superintendent of the state police, in 2008 directed the department’s 17 chaplains to use non-denominational language at events such as trooper graduation ceremonies and public memorial services for officers who have died in the line of duty.</p>
<p>“The department recognizes the importance of a state government agency to be inclusive and respectful of the varied ethnicities, cultures and beliefs of our employees, their families and citizens at large,” Flaherty noted in a statement.</p>
<p>It makes sense from public policy and legal perspectives. Legal experts had noted that a federal appeals court struck down the use of sectarian invocations at government meetings in Virginia, and Flaherty’s policy merely brought the State Police into compliance with the law.</p>
<p>None of this mattered to McDonnell, of course. The governor, a graduate of TV preacher Pat Robertson’s Regent University, is more interested in undermining the Constitution than supporting it.</p>
<p>McDonnell <a href="http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2010/April/McDonnell-Talks-Servant-Leadership-at-Alma-Mater/">spoke at Regent</a> earlier this month, vowing to implement what he called “servant leadership” in Virginia.</p>
<p>“It reflects those words of Jesus, who said that the greatest among you is the servant of all, and the fact that he came not to be served, but to serve,” McDonnell said. “I think that is the model for servant leadership.”</p>
<p>My guess is that the people McDonnell is most interested in “serving” are Robertson and his band of Religious Right followers.</p>
<p>They were certainly excited over the new prayer rules, confident that every public event will now feature their form of Christian prayers. They may be less so when the state ends up wasting tax funds trying to defend the measure in court.</p>
<p>Federal courts, University of Richmond law professor Carl Tobias told the <em>Virginian-Pilot</em>, have “already ruled basically that what the governor is authorizing is unconstitutional.”</p>
<p>Tobias added, “What we’re going to have is a piece of the litigation and the plaintiffs will win and they’ll get attorneys fees as well. I just don’t understand why the governor is going to invite this type of litigation, which is going to be very divisive and expensive.”</p>
<p>Americans United Executive Director Barry W. Lynn agreed. The new policy, Lynn told the newspaper, “may very likely spark lawsuits that could cost the taxpayers lots of money. If that happens, McDonnell will be the man to blame.”</p>
<p>But McDonnell’s action does more than potentially waste taxpayer funds. It sends a message that religious majoritarianism is acceptable at governmental events. It gives a green light to chaplains who want to use public ceremonies to proselytize for their specific faith. It sends a message of second-class citizenship to anyone who belongs to a minority faith.</p>
<p>It’s also – dare I say it? – not very Christian. Jesus himself warned against making a big, showy display of public prayers. He called the people who do that hypocrites but lauded those who pray privately at home. (Matthew 6:5-6)</p>
<p>The prayer directive is merely the latest in a series of embarrassing stunts from Virginia’s new leaders. Earlier this year, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II mailed letters to public universities across the state, warning them that they have no right to adopt gay-friendly policies. Not long after that, McDonnell issued a proclamation recognizing “Confederate History Month” that failed to mention slavery.</p>
<p>Add to this McDonnell’s decision to appoint voucher advocate Gerard Robinson as secretary of education, his proclamation of “Christian Heritage Week” and his decision to ban public funding of abortions for poor women and you can see that the state is stumbling along the road to theocracy.</p>
<p>What’s really scary is that I fear all of this is just a start. McDonnell has been in office for just four months. What else does he plan to do to appease the Religious Right?</p>
<p>Virginia has a proud heritage. If McDonnell would invoke the spirit of Jefferson and Madison, he might achieve something of value. Instead, he seems intent on taking his cues from the Religious Right. That misguided movement takes it inspiration from quite a different historical period. We call it the Dark Ages.</p>
</div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Issues:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/issues/fighting-religious-right">Fighting the Religious Right</a></span></div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/james-madison">James Madison</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/ken-cuccinelli">Ken Cuccinelli</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/pat-robertson">Pat Robertson</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/regent-university">Regent University</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/robert-mcdonnell">Robert McDonnell</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/thomas-jefferson">thomas jefferson</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/virginia">virginia</a></span></div></div>Thu, 29 Apr 2010 18:54:50 +0000Rob Boston2076 at http://www.au.orghttp://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/virginia-reels-religious-right-gov-dances-to-pat-robertson%E2%80%99s-tune#comments‘Awakening’ To Extremism: Va. Attorney General Shares Liberty U. Stage With Exorcist, Et Alhttp://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/%E2%80%98awakening%E2%80%99-to-extremism-va-attorney-general-shares-liberty-u-stage-with
<a href="/about/people/rob-boston">Rob Boston</a><div class="field field-name-field-blog-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blogs/wall-of-separation">Wall of Separation</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-callout field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli will be sharing the stage with a self-proclaimed prophet and exorcist this weekend at Liberty University.</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="prose"><p>As I’ve watched the Religious Right go into conniptions over health-care reform, I’ve been tempted to ask, “So what do you want instead?”</p>
<p>Our current patchwork system hardly seems sustainable. It leaves 35 million people uninsured and puts everyone else at the mercy of insurance companies that deny coverage for pre-existing conditions, often look for ways not to cover illnesses and continually jack up premiums.</p>
<p>It’s obvious Religious Right leaders don’t like the reform plan. They and their “TEA Party” pals have done nothing but scream about socialism since President Barack Obama inked the legislation. So what would they rather have?</p>
<p>An answer may be emerging: faith healing and exorcisms.</p>
<p>Liberty University and a phalanx of Religious Right allies are sponsoring<a href="http://www.freedomfederation.org/content/summit"> a conference </a>this weekend called “The Awakening 2010” featuring the usual array of right-wing cranks: Jerry Falwell Jr., Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel, Texas Pastor Rick Scarborough, Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention, Wendy Wright of Concerned Women for America, evangelist Lou Engle of The Call and Bishop Harry Jackson, a notorious D.C.-area homophobe.</p>
<p>To me, it looks like less of an “awakening” and more the return of the “dark ages.”</p>
<p>Interestingly, Liberty officials have just confirmed that Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli will also be there. Cuccinelli is one of the ringleaders of the move by 13 state attorneys general to attack health-care reform in court, asserting it is unconstitutional.</p>
<p>Cuccinelli will be sharing the stage in Lynchburg with Cindy Jacobs, a self-proclaimed prophet with some rather unusual views. At a conference in Dallas last month, for example, she claimed to be able to use prayer and faith to cure HIV and cancer.</p>
<p>But that’s just a start. Our friend Kyle Mantyla over at People For the American Way dug up some<a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/cuccinelli-confirmed-freedom-federations-awakening-conference"> interesting footage</a> of Jacobs in action during a conference in Texas last month. And, writing on AlterNet, Bruce Wilson <a href="http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/cuccinelli-confirmed-freedom-federations-awakening-conference">reports</a> that at another conference “Jacobs conducted a mass exorcism, casting out not only ‘spirits’ of homosexuality but also spirits of pornography, addiction, lust, bisexuality, and perversion.”</p>
<p>According to one of her colleagues, Jacobs has also advocated burning “idols” that might lead one astray – and she has a very liberal definition of what constitutes an idol. In a 1999 book about her, C. Peter Wagner said the list includes, “pictures, statues, Catholic saints, Books of Mormon, pictures of former lovers, pornographic material, fetishes, drugs, Ouija boards, zodiac charms, good luck symbols, crystals for healing, amulets, talismans, tarot cards, witch dolls, voodoo items, love potions, books of magic, totem poles, certain pieces of jewelry, objects of Freemasonry, horoscopes, gargoyles, native art, foreign souvenirs, and what have you.” (I wonder what Cuccinelli, who is Catholic, thinks about burning pictures and statues of Catholic saints?)</p>
<p>Fundamentalists are free to harp about demons all they want, of course. But I worry when they have the ears of powerful government officials. Peculiar fundamentalist views make a poor platform for public policy.</p>
<p>And I’m not knocking the role religion plays in many people’s lives. When you’re facing a serious illness, having a positive attitude is probably helpful. If prayer and religious devotion give you comfort, by all means have at it.</p>
<p>This is miles removed from Jacobs and her Lynchburg allies.</p>
<p>Cuccinelli is quickly gaining a reputation as perhaps the nation’s most extreme attorney general. Earlier this year, he sent <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/05/AR2010030501582.html">letters to public colleges and universities</a> in Virginia, telling them they have no right to bar discrimination against gays – a move that embarrassed even Gov. Robert McDonnell, a graduate of TV preacher Pat Robertson’s Regent University.</p>
<p>Cuccinelli’s decision to share the stage at Liberty with Jacobs and the other extremists who will be there is an indication that he has no intention of stepping away from his hard-line views.</p>
<p>What’s left? Well, Virginians who are religious could always begin praying for sanity in Richmond.</p>
<p>P.S. One more thought on this: When the late Jerry Falwell, the founder of Liberty University, had heart problems, he immediately got himself off to the hospital. Ditto for Pat Robertson – who “heals” people on television. Robertson underwent a 10-hour heart operation last year. So it’s ‘do as I say and not as I do,’ isn’t it?</p>
</div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Issues:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/issues/fighting-religious-right">Fighting the Religious Right</a></span></div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/cindy-jacobs">Cindy Jacobs</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/jerry-falwell-jr">Jerry Falwell Jr</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/ken-cuccinelli">Ken Cuccinelli</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/liberty-university">Liberty University</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/pat-robertson">Pat Robertson</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/virginia">virginia</a></span></div></div>Thu, 15 Apr 2010 15:40:05 +0000Rob Boston2073 at http://www.au.orghttp://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/%E2%80%98awakening%E2%80%99-to-extremism-va-attorney-general-shares-liberty-u-stage-with#comments